‘We need him’ – Ruben Amorim on Mainoo’s and his own future at Man Utd | OneFootball

Ruben Amorim says he wants Kobbie Mainoo to stay at Manchester United, amid reports the 20-year-old midfielder wants to leave the club on loan.

Following United’s disastrous defeat to Grimsby in the second round of the Carabao Cup, the pressure has ramped up on the Portuguese manager once again.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash against Burnley, Amorim criticised his players but insists he wants England international Mainoo to remain at Old Trafford.

“I want Kobbie to stay,” Amorim said. “He needs to fight for his place, and we need Kobbie. So that is not going to change. The rest I don’t know how it’s going to finish.

“I understand that the players that are not playing at this moment are disappointed. But everyone will have the same opportunity to play. You have to fight during the week.”

United finished 15th last season in their worst league campaign since 1974, and lost the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur, leaving them with no European football this season for the first time since the 2014/15 season.

The loss against Grimsby leaves Amorim’s side, the 20-time English champions, only competing for the FA Cup and Premier League, in which they are yet to find a win from their first two games.

“I’m going to say that sometimes I hate my players, sometimes I love my players, sometimes I want to defend my players,” Amorim added.

“This is my way of doing things and I’m going to be like that. And I felt that in that moment I was so frustrated and annoyed. And I know, again, that you have a lot of experienced people talking about the way I should perform with the media, to be more constant, to be more calm. I’m not going to be like that.

“Sometimes I want to quit, sometimes I want to be here for 20 years. Sometimes I love to be with my players, sometimes I don’t want to be with them. So, again, I need to improve on that. It’s going to be hard. But now I’m good with the next one.

“I felt that [I wanted to quit] after the Grimsby game. I don’t feel that now. So it’s a little bit like that. I think that is the hardest part of the defeat.

“Sometimes it’s not the result, it’s the way we lost that game or draw that game. That is the thing that is hard to accept. Because we can do better. At this moment, we cover positions, fight for the ball, run, all these small things, sometimes our level drops a bit.

“The good thing is that we now have the next game to put that level up.”

Join our Man Utd Whatsapp channel for all the latest updates.